Critical Success Factors for Achieving Patient Order Fulfilment in Kenyan Public Hospital Pharmacies

Abstract

Studies conducted in Kenya from 2016 to 2020 continue to report supply problems with the delivery of essential medicines to patients via public hospital pharmacies. This study investigates which critical success factors should be implemented in these pharmacies to contribute to effective patient order fulfilment, both conceptually and practically. The critical success factors investigated were supplier relations management, supply chain integration, organisational performance improvement, third-party relationship management and adequate financial resources. The study used a structured questionnaire to collect data from 280 procurement officers, pharmacists, medical doctors and senior management in the district, county and national referral hospitals of Kenya. The empirical results revealed that patient order fulfilment requires patient demand satisfaction coupled with effective inventory management. The results showed that demand satisfaction is significantly driven by third-party relations management, supplier relations management and financial resources, while inventory management is largely influenced by supply chain integration, third-party relations management and supplier relations management. The study provided important recommendations on how these critical success factors should be implemented.